Saturday, July 23, 2016

The culture of the ancient Celts and the mist and magic of Wales, Scotland, and Ireland fascinates me. The paranormal beliefs in Celtic mythology inspire me. I’ve always seen seductive blood suckers such as vampires as more feminine than masculine, but in the old horror movies they are mainly men. Yet the Celtic fey vampiric creatures are all women, which makes more sense to me.

I am intrigued by folk takes of a type of Celtic vampiric fey, the Scottish baobhan sith (baa’-van shee), who wear green dresses and in some legends have goat hooves for feet. They are also called dancing vampires. The gorgeous temptresses appear before their human victims, usually young men coming from the local pub late at night. Clad in scanty, green silk dresses displaying their shapely, sensuous bodies they entice these stumbling men to dance with them. Burning with desire for the hot embrace of a seductress’s slender arms and the softness of a dancer’s supple thigh, the men enjoy dancing with the baobhan sith, at first. Once the men grow exhausted of the nonstop dancing, the baobhan sith strike. Without warning, their long nails transform into talons of death, to rip the flesh of their victims and drink of the crimson stream. They don’t have fangs, their nails extend like claws and they use them as a deadly weapon.

Book 2 - Dancing Vampire Series

Some of the other ways Celtic vampires differ from their more traditional, fang growing counterparts is they don’t turn mortals and no one stakes them through the heart. With the baobhan sith it’s all about the cairn. When a stone in a cairn is overturn, the baobhan sith are able to pass through to our realm. To get rid of them just stack the stones back on the cairn and they cannot leave their fey realm underhill.

Of course I thought what a great character for an erotica paranormal romance and I wrote a the dancing vampire series. And the first in the series, Dance of the Vampires is now free.

I have a blurb and excerpt of Dance of the Vampires below and the book is free at Amazon, B & N, and iTunes.

Blurb:

One of Ian’s six brothers kick over the stones of an ancient cairn, unknowingly freeing Sorcha and her six sisters from underhill. The seven handsome Scots are enchanted by the voluptuous temptresses until they turn on the men. Ian captures Sorcha, giving his brothers a chance to escape. With the dark fey woman still in his grasp, Ian is saved by the rising sun.

Book 3 - Dancing Vampire Series

Her sisters vanish with the light of dawn and Sorcha is trapped in the mortal realm. The seductress can’t resist Ian’s attentions as he stirs throbbing urges she’s never felt before. Ian is bewitched by the wild delights offered by this vampire siren. He can’t get enough of her. Still, her wicked sisters and his highland brothers want nothing more than to attack and kill each other. Will Sorcha and Ian’s sizzling passion prove strong enough to overcome the differences between the dark fey and humans?

Excerpt:

Ian wobbled out the door of the pub ahead of his six brothers. Focusing as hard as he could, pushing one foot in front of the other, he stumbled across a field in the moonlight. A clump of gorse and heather brushed against his jeans.

“Brother, be careful not to step on a thistle in the dark,” Lachlan yelled in slurred speech.

“I have my boots on,” Ian snapped.

“Are you sure, little brother?” Malcolm, the oldest, called out. “You usually run barefoot and cry like a girl when you get a thorn in your foot.”

Book 4 - Dancing Vampire Series

“I was five years old the last time that happened.” Tired of the lot of them, he stomped ahead. “I’d go off by myself and leave all of you here, but someone has to lead you home.”

Well past midnight, silence engulfed the field until Calin burst out laughing and couldn’t stop.

“Well, I do not know what’s so funny or why we had to leave right when I spotted the pretty women in the pub.”

Tavish kicked a stone with his foot as he tromped through the grass with his brothers.

“Because we are all drunk.” Lachlan’s body wavered, leaning forward then back. “That is why the lassies started looking so bonny to you. Those were the same ones you called old and ugly when they first came in, you bampot.”

Book 5 - Dancing Vampire Series

“They were old, that was Liam’s mother and aunt.” Angus grabbed Tavish’s head and jostled it back and forth. He ducked out of Angus’ way.

“Ooch!” Ian jumped back.

“What is wrong with you?” Malcolm set his hand on his hip.

Ian pointed to the ancient mound of stones caked over with dirt and grass. “I almost stepped on a fairy mound.” His stomach knotted.

“Brother, are you afraid of a pile of old stones?” Calin threw his head back and rocked with laughter.

“It’s a cairn.” Ian’s heart still thudded from the near miss. “Any who disturb it will be cursed.”

“I dare you to knock it over.” Errol crossed his arms over his chest.

Ian stepped back, a horrified look on his handsome face. “I will not.”

“Do not do it.” Ian’s belly clenched even tighter, until he felt sharp jabs of pain.

Before the other six could stop him, Tavish drew back his foot and crashed it into the sacred cairn with a hard kick. A loud, sharp gasp from each of his brothers hung in the air. One lone stone rolled free of the mound.

Malcolm’s mouth dropped open. “You disturbed the fey.”

“You’ve done it now.” Lachlan stepped back, attempting to separate himself from the sacrilege.

“He dared me.” Tavish pointed at Errol. “I had to do it, now didn’t I?”

“Errol’s a turnip-headed bampot,” Calin shouted. “You too, Tavish.”

“I do not like it.” Ian shook his head. “It’s sacred. It’s cursed.” The knot in his stomach froze, growing as cold as ice.

Malcolm bobbed his head. “We should hurry home before something happens.”

“We are,” Errol snapped. “We’re in this field taking a shortcut, remember?”

“Come on.” Malcolm headed away from the disturbed monument. “Walk faster.” He took the lead as the others followed.

“Look.” Ian came to an abrupt stop.

His brothers froze as their gazes turned to where he pointed his finger. Seven women, all in odd dresses of green tartan silk, stood beside the cairn. Their lush, scarlet lips curved into smiles as seductive as warm kisses.

My first literary contemporary novelette, I Love You More has just been released.

A mother's love never fails…it always prevails.
On the verge of turning sixty, Garland recalls memories and moments of her life’s journey from an abusive childhood to a bad marriage to the ups and downs of a single mom. She is rewarded with a magical mother’s day with her son, daughter in law, and granddaughter. Her moving story is sure to touch your heart.

I usually write romance and not only romance but historical, fantasy, steampunk and sci-fi romance. I did however add a bonus novelette, The Ghost Lights of Marfa to my I Love You More ebook on Amazon.

The Ghost Lights of Marfa is also a single mom story and it's contemporary, but it's contemporary fantasy. Though the genres are different, I thought the stories had similarities and compliment each other well, and they are both about the same word count. So together they make the book over 20,000 words.

Adventures Of A Small Town Single Mom - Beamed To An Alternate Dimension.
Mysterious aliens set Kristy on a path of self-exploration and romance. Is the wonderful world of In everything it seems
to be? Or do the Inids have an ulterior motive for helping her and her son?

Sunday, May 1, 2016

Happy Beltane or May Day everyone. Sunny, floral scented days were a time of enchantment. Chiefly, the feast day of Beltane (pronounced Bell-teen or Bell-tawn) or the more modern May Day. Beltane meant Bell’s fire in honor of Belenus, the Celtic sun and healing god. Invoking Belenus’ blessings, nine men gathered nine pieces of wood from nine of the sacred trees, such as oak, elm, ash, birch, holly, rowan, apple, alder, maple, and hawthorn. The tribe piled more wood on top, building two huge bon-fires which were called the needs fire. Druids kindled the blazes with sacred incantations.

Each family extinguished the center fires in their round hut and in rapt silence relit them with a torch of the new, needs fire. The Celts also smudged their faces with ashes from the Bell’s fires. Further, they ritually drove their livestock between the needs fires. No small feat, for though cows and oxen are somewhat manageable, sheep can be difficult, and horses are more than skittish when goaded between blazing infernos. As the animals passed between the hot amber fire, Belenus purified them from all disease so they would fatten on the new grass, rather than grow sick from the cold, wet ground still under foot. Once the ceremony was finished, men and dogs drove the herds to summer pasture.

In baking bread or small cakes for Beltane, the Celts burned or marked one with ashes. In mock sacrifice, the person who drew the blackened cake had to jump over a small fire or in some celebrations perform the sword dance and in others they would walk across hot coals. A tree in the woods was chopped down for the maypole or a tribal tree was used each Beltane. Men and women grabbed the soft colored feminine ribbons tied around the masculine, phallic pole and danced in an intertwining fashion, symbolizing the union the of the god and the goddess, the hand fasting of sun to earth. To the music of fife, harp, and bagpipe, Celts sung ancient mating songs. Between leaping, twirling dances, they fasted on boiled boar and gulped cupfuls of ale and mead.

Along with fire, Druids held that water was powerful. The most potent appeared magically. So Celts collected the dew before dawn on Beltane. Those sprinkled with May dew were insured health, happiness, and lasting beauty.May was the month of reawakening of the earth after a long, dormant winter. Picking wild flowers, basking in sunshine, dancing in the dew cover grass were some of the things to enjoy at Beltane.

It was also a romantic holiday. The May Queen led the Beltane procession with her ritual courtship of the Green Man. These symbolic marriages of the god and goddess, in the form of King and Queen of the May, were mirrored in human courtship. One of the most popular May Day traditions was to set a basket full of spring flowers or other small gifts at a neighbor’s house without them seeing you. If you got caught, they would chase, then kiss you. Courtships for the ancient Celts would often begin at Beltaine and the marriages would be held at Samhain (Sah-van), which in modern times we call Halloween.

Saturday, March 19, 2016

Have you ever wished you could go back in time to a day or event that changed your life forever?

Over forty years ago at the Woodstock Arts and Music festival in 1969, Cash climbed on the back of Keith's motorcycle and they've been together ever since. Now, over forty years later Cash wonders what would have happened if she got on a different guy's motorcycle.

A free-spirited, baby boomer couple, Cash and Keith, find their marriage of forty-five years unraveling amid apathy, boredom and retirement. Cash feels Keith is no longer attracted to her and he’s consumed with a couch-potato life of streaming Firefly all day long. Trying to hang on to their marriage and rekindle the romance they lost along the way they turn to a counselor. The therapist uses an unorthodox magical method of a time traveling Volkswagen van to cast them back into the garden…four days of Eden at Woodstock….the epic music festival… where they first fell in love. Will the freedom of Woodstock lure Keith and Cash to push their individual boundaries and seek new lovers? Or can Déjà Vu and grooving to music….truly lead them to rediscover the peace, love, and harmony they once shared? Give peace, love, and music a chance…groove on a copy of Back To the One I Love today.

Thursday, March 10, 2016

My novella, Timeless Voyage, is one of the fabulous, sizzling stories in the historical fantasy box set, Scandalously Yours. Timeless Voyage is set in 1st century AD Ireland so it's a great story to read for St. Patrick's day. And right now you can get the whole box set, all 8 stories for just 99 cents.

To tell you why I wrote Timeless Voyage, I have to start with my love of the Celts. So, I love Grania, the real, kick-ass female Irish pirate captain who faced off with Queen Elizabeth. Of course as a Tudor, Elizabeth’s heritage was in part Welsh, so Celtic as well. Keep in mind Grania, also known as Grace O’Malley, wasn’t only a lady pirate, she was captain of the crew and ship. And since women warriors or raiders are a Celtic tradition, I wanted to write about an ancient Celtic pirate captain in Iron Age Ireland.

So now that I’ve mentioned one of my favorite historical characters, I’m going to tell you about my all-time favorite one, Boudica, the rebel warrior Queen who fought the Romans. So not only is Grania’s influence in the story, Boudica’s is as well.

The way I worked all this in is I made up a heroine and named her Anwen, and though she’s in Ireland, she’s from Britannia. At the time of Boudica, she was a novice at the Druid Learning Center, where Celt’s from all over came to study Druidry. Anwen was there when the massacre occurred, led by the Roman governor of Britannia.

She managed to hide and then escape to Ireland. An Irish druidess named Riona, helped her and she’s her best friend. Anew seeks revenge on the Romans by leading a crew who captures Roman ships as they pass the Irish coast. She kills the Romans and takes the cargo and the ships.

In one of these raids she meets Titus Rufius Kaeso, a Roman merchant, her captive. He’s a blonde and brawn and she burns with need for this man the moment she sees him. The sizzling attraction is mutual, his blood boils for her as well even though she’s probably going to kill him. Why would he feel that way? Well reincarnation plays a part in this. They were lovers in a previous life. And the story goes form there with action, adventure, and love. Here’s the blurb.

Is love even better…the second lifetime around

As the pirate Anwen, presses her dagger against the throat of, Kaeso, her Roman captive, he’s captivated by dreams of a woman he loved in a previous life, the mirror image of Anwen. Can Anwen and Kaeso steer their timeless voyage to a happy destiny or will they be robbed of love again?

Through the ages, where there has been society there have always been norms and, conversely, scandals when love gets in the way of propriety.

From the ancient Celts to medieval Cornwall, from Regency and Victorian England to the American west after the War Between the States, eight stories by multi-published, bestselling authors explore the triumphs of love between a man and a woman—even scandalous love—over what’s considered “proper” in their time.

Wilder’s Thief, by USA Today bestseller, Josie Jax

Robbing a bank wasn’t what reformed pickpocket Rachel Conroy had in mind. Yet when the lyin’ banker entangles her in one helluva financial fix, she finds herself in the bank of Diamond Bluff, Missouri, disguised as a lad and holding a gun on an unfamiliar teller. But the handsome man is so distracting she can’t keep her sex-addled brain on the task at hand—until he threatens to turn her over to the authorities to be hanged if she doesn’t return the money.

When village newcomer and winery owner Dierck Wilder mans his uncle’s small-town bank for a few fateful moments, he’s suddenly staring down the barrel of a revolver. His life veers off on a tumultuous path after he pursues the robber and uncovers a sexy diamond in the rough. Now to unearth the truth and tame Wilder’s bandit…

Aphrodite’s Necklace, by Anh Leod

Exiled by her husband to staid, Victorian England, the goddess Aphrodite is determined to spice up life for a mortal couple by giving them a magic necklace that opens their minds and hearts to passion. Can she teach innocents to delight in sensual love?

Emily Rogers is in the marriage mart, but once the necklace is in her hands, she enlists William Coxe, her family butler, to help find its owner. As Aphrodite intended when she dropped the priceless piece at a ball held in Emily’s home, desire overwhelms Emily—and also William, whom Emily’s parents would never countenance her marrying.

Good sense prevails when the two return the necklace to the goddess, but by this time love has caught the lovers in what seems an impossible situation. Can improper love survive the loss of Aphrodite’s necklace? Only with the goddess’s help can they find a way toward lasting happiness.

Madamoiselle Makes a Match, by Kate Rothwell

An original novella, never before published!

Victorian virgins meet at an inn.

In a village where work is hard to find, virtuous Sally must at last “entertain men” or lose her job at the local inn. The young man she agrees to entertain is Jasper, a visiting gentleman who’s appalled that he’d accidentally forced Sally into this predicament. Yet despite their peculiar meeting and the enormous differences in class and education, the maid and gentleman discover passion and something even more precious, intimacy. Their lovely interlude is interrupted, reality intrudes, and Sally faces another choice…

When a fortune hunter attempts to steal her niece’s heart, Laura Wickenham makes every effort to prevent the ill-fated match. But the appearance of charismatic Ross Stansfield, the fortune hunter’s handsome uncle, throws her off balance. Instantaneous and combustible, their attraction makes her question her decision never to love again. When the young couple elopes, Laura sets out in pursuit, and fearing for her safety, Ross loses no time chasing her. Thrown closely together, their attraction becomes impossible to resist.

Ordered to find a master spy in the maelstrom of Regency London, Ross finds duty is a distraction any time he’s near Laura. He can’t make his need for her real until he discovers which of her suitors is a threat to Britain. As desire flares between the two, a world of spies and family scandal threatened to thwart a lifetime of happiness.

The Brass Octopus, by Maeve Alpin

Spinster Librarian Piety Plunkett is happy alone with her books, until her sister transforms her with a bras octopus beautifying machine. With her new look, the librarian catches the lusty attentions of a notorious rogue. Blake Blackmore enjoys the favors of beautiful women from the brothels of London to high society’s most fashionable debutantes, but only the spinster librarian consumes his mind night and day. Piety insists she will not wed but devote her life to her position as head librarian.

Blake takes matters into his own hands. In three passion filled lessons, he tutors Piety in carnal pleasure. Now that she is sharing her body, instead of just her books, Piety is shocked yet pleased at how naughty she can be. But if anyone finds out about what goes on in the library after closing time her reputation would be ruined. Is that Blake’ ultimate plan?

Beneath a Cornish Moon, by Ann Jacobs

A dying man’s last wish: Protect Lea. Make her your bride.

Marrying the lovely, sensual Lea will be no hardship for Alain, Earl of St. Vincent. Keeping her safe may be another matter, for a curse lies upon the St. Vincent lands.

Unless Alain can convince Lea to join with him in the fertility rites of the Winter Solstice, her life and his lands may be forfeit.

Alain’s dark passions seduce Lea’s heart and body, but it will take more than passion to bring St. Vincent back from the dark side of the moon.

Timeless Voyage, by Cornelia Amiri

As the pirate Anwen, presses her dagger against the throat of, Kaeso, her Roman captive, he s captivated by dreams of a woman he loved in a previous life, the mirror image of Anwen. Can Anwen and Kaeso steer their timeless voyage to a happy destiny or will they be robbed of love again?

As the Celtic pirate, Anwen, presses her hard iron dagger against a Roman’s throat, memories of fated lovers, druids and sacrifice, stay her hand.

Wooing the Librarian, by Jane Leopold Quinn

After a spectacularly failed romance left her devastated, all Isis Garrett wants is to start her library in this California town. The last thing she wants is another man, not even the handsome preacher who offers his church for her books.

Pres MacKay is starting a new life as a preacher. He can’t hide his attraction to the sweetly rounded new librarian even as she pushes him away. Can he discover the way into her closed heart and prove to her he’s one of the good guys?

Pres isn’t about to give up on Isis, though. The question is can she forget the pain of the past and see a future with him?

Anwen drew in a deep breath, sighted a Roman, and took aim, twirling the leather sling over her head in a lingering cloud of misty smoke. The iron pellet embedded in the sailor’s forehead, sending him backwards as he fell to his death.

“Good shot, Captain.” Delbaeth threw his dagger at another Roman. It struck the screaming man just below his neck.

Anwen’s heart lurched in her chest as she clambered onto the deck. A burly, bearded man rushed toward her. Grabbing the dagger from her mouth, she jabbed the blade into his belly and twisted it as he clutched her shoulders. He fell to the deck. The stench of blood mingled with the salty scent of sea mist. She let out a rush of air and leapt over his scarlet-stained corpse.

Her neck grew hot from someone gazing hard at her, she wheeled around. Anwen spotted a shadowy figure and rushed toward him. With a flick of her wrist, she pressed her dagger against the man’s throat.

Books The full moon glowed on her catch. His hair shone like spun sunlight streaming aside a stone-smooth face adorned with striking blue-green eyes. “Lugh, the sun god?”

The man gestured for her to release the blade so he could speak.

Curious as to what he had to say, she slid the sharp dagger to his chest.

He gazed straight into her eyes. “Assassin, I ask your name before you send me to the Elysian Fields.”

His full lips parted and he let out a sharp laugh. “The old governor slew the druids of Ynys Mon. They are all dead.”

“I survived.” She tilted her chin high.

“Good fortune then.” He flashed a row of white teeth as he grinned. “And now you hold a cargo of wine and fish sauce.” The Roman’s smile vanished and his eyes grew wide and moist. “Take it all. Just leave me my ship and crew. They are worth nothing to you.”

“I think not.” She took a deep breath. “Your voyage ends here.” Clutching the blade hard, she flicked her wrist to stab him but her arm hung heavy. Startled and shocked, she swallowed. Jerking her head toward her crew, she yelled, “Breccan, Casnar, Torna, tie up the prisoner.”

“What say you?” Starn the Stout balked at her order.

Her captive’s extraordinary eyes, fathomless as the sea, drew her to him. How could a Roman be so handsome?

Thoughts swam in her head. I do not know him. Even if I did, he’s a Roman. I have to hate him.

Laig the Dark headed scowled. “We leave no survivors, save for the Roman slaves we set free.”

Mothering Sunday was first celebrated in the beginning of the 17th century.

Happy Mothering Sunday to everyone!

Every mother’s heart holds a bit of magic…her children’s love. Enchantment awaits in a dozen brand new, previously unpublished-stories, written by #1 bestselling and/or multi-award winning authors from across the globe. Whether it’s a captivating tale of romance or fiction fashioned from loving memories, these poignant stories are sure to touch your heart.

10% of proceeds from this anthology will go to

the National Multiple Sclerosis Society toward research.

AN INTERVIEW WITH___Cornelia Amiri__________

One of the Authors FROM

MOTHER’S DAY MAGIC

The Story I’ve Contributed Is

I Love You More

What Was The Inspiration For Your Mother’s Day Magic Story?

A good deal was drawn from my own experiences as a single mother. I think most moms, especially single moms, can relate to it. There are a lot of families that are headed by women, sometimes just one mom and her child, but they are still families in every sense of what a family means. I wanted to acknowledge these strong, loving single moms and the wonderful children they are raising or have raised. They’re doing a great job.

How much research was involved in writing your story? How did you go about it?

Because it was contemporary and set where I live, I really didn’t have to do much research. That’s unusual for me, most books I write require a great deal of research.

How often do your characters surprise you by doing or saying something totally unexpected?

In every book, there are moments when that happens. It’s one of the things I look forward to when I’m writing the first draft.

Do you miss spending time with your characters when you finish writing this story?

I will think of my characters forever. Certain ones are very close to my heart.My characters are part of me. In an emotional sense, they will always be alive to me.

What writer has been your biggest inspiration?

Morgan Llewellyn and Marion Zimmer Bradley are my strongest inspirations. Marion Zimmer Bradley wrote fantasies, Morgan Llewellyn writes historicals, and I write romances, but like them, I use historical knowledge and realistic fantasy that pulls from the ancient Celtic belief system.

What non-writer had the most influence on your life And why?

The Celtic Warrior Queen Boudica is a main one, she made me start writing. I love history, and in reading a book about the dark ages, I came across Boudica. I was so inspired, I started jotting down notes, but they were fiction (it-must-have-happened-like-this type). Before I knew it, I had written a novel. I thought, gosh I can really do this. So after accidentally writing that novel, I wrote one on purpose, The Celtic Fox, which turned out to be my first published book.

How important is the choosing of character names to you? Have you ever decided on a name and then changed it because it wasn’t right for the character?

The character names are important and yes I have changed them. Garland and Judson seemed the right names for the characters. When I write stories set in the bronze age or iron age, I have to try to find ancient Celtic names. When I wrote about the Picts, I could only find one authentic female Pict name, Bethoc, so that was the name of my heroine in The Scottish Selkie, there was no other name for her. However, it worked out perfect, because no other name would suit my Bethoc, her name was clearly meant to be Bethoc,

Do you allow others to read your work in progress, or do you keep it a secret until you’ve finished your first draft?

No one reads the first draft but me. When I have it polished enough to show my critique partners, then they see it. I send it to my editor when I feel I’ve done all I can for it. I don’t show it to anyone else until it’s published or submitted to a publisher.

What inspired you to write your first book?

I had an idea for a plot in my head that was inspired by the fairy tale, Sleeping Beauty, with the dwarfs. But nothing much more than the plot idea. I was working as a file clerk at the time, and one day I was having an allergic reaction to dust. I closed my eyes to get a grip and in my head I saw the face of this man with reddish brown eyes and thick auburn hair, he reminded me of a red fox. Suddenly, the plot I had been kicking around had a hero and a title, The Fox Prince. I later changed the title to The Celtic Fox.

What might we be surprised to know about you?

That along with the romances, I sometimes try my hand at other genres. I wrote a contemporary mystery called Dead End Job, a horror story called Taliesin’s Song, a Young Adult fantasy, non-romance, called Samhain Calls, and a modern-day, non-romance fantasy called The Ghost Lights of Marfa. The later is published by itself, and the other three are in book called, Reach…Reach across the genres.

About the Author

Cornelia Amiri, who also writes as Maeve Alpin, is the author of 30 published books. K Known as the Celtic Romance Queen, she writes Celtic Fantasy Romance, Celtic Historical Romance, Steampunk Romance and Sci-fi Romance. She lives in Houston Texas as does her son and granddaughter and her cat, Severus. Severus is a writer's cat, he loves books. He likes to knock them off the bookshelf, sit on them, and sniff the open pages. He also uses the computer, he sits on it, lays on top of it, and walks across the key board almost constantly. She is working on two soon to be released books a historical romance box set, Scandalously Yours and a modern day fantasy romance novella set at Woodstock 1969, Back to the One I love.

Happy Mothering Sunday!

Tuesday, January 5, 2016

Now a days, most covers are fashioned by taking fabulous photos from shoots already done and having a cover designer fix it to fit a specific book. One of the funnest things about being an indie romance author is browsing through tons of luscious photos and choosing out the one that's the best match for my book. Yes, part of my job is looking through photos of hunks and hotties until I say, “Okay, I’ll take that one.” And then I buy him…I mean...I buy the cover photo. It's a hard job but someone has to do it.

I use to put women by themselves on some of my covers but now I go for a man alone or a couple.As romance readers seem to like seeing a brawn, ripped man much better…whether alone or with the heroine. I like that better too. And it also communicates to the reader that as part of a great story there are some sizzling love scenes as well.

Book blurbs and book covers are considered in the publishing industry as a whole to be some of the most important selling points of a book.